Georgia Georgia Standards

Georgia’s Founder James Oglethorpe sailed from England with about 120 colonists on November 17, 1732, to form the new colony that would be named Georgia. Oglethorpe and the colonist first arrived in Beaufort, South Carolina. Days later Oglethorpe and his trustees set sail to find a site to settle south of the Savannah River. A site was chosen and on February 1, 1733, Oglethorpe and the remaining settlers made their home in the city that is now called Savannah. A bronze statue of General James Edward Oglethorpe located in Chippewa Square in Savannah

The capital of Georgia is Atlanta, a fast paced, modern city Georgia’s Capital The capital of Georgia is Atlanta, a fast paced, modern city proud of its heritage.

Georgia’s Governor The governor is the head of the state. He proposes new programs and laws for the state and proposes a state budget for the legislative branch of government to consider. The people elect the governor. The current governor of Georgia is Sonny Perdue. Sonny Perdue and wife, Mary.

State Symbols of Georgia Like all other states, Georgia today has its own special symbols. Each symbol stands for something important to the people of our state. The following are just a few of Georgia’s state symbols: State tree: Live oak State flower: Cherokee Rose State bird: Brown Thrasher State fruit: The peach

Georgia’s Land Regions Georgia has three main regions: The Appalachian Mountain Region, the Piedmont Region, and the Coastal Plains.

Appalachian Mountain Region The northern part of Georgia is mostly mountainous. The Appalachian Highlands are part of the oldest mountain chain in North America. Once the mountains had sharp, jagged edges. Now, the wind and rain have worn down the peaks. Because it is in the mountains, the northern half of the state is the coolest. In the valleys of this region, cotton, grains, and fruits are grown. Many fox, opossum, and black bear live in the forest areas. Appalachian Plateau Ridge and Valley Blue Ridge

Piedmont Region The middle part of Georgia is the Piedmont. The word Piedmont means “foot of the mountain”. It is here that you see the high, flat hills covered in red clay. The Fall Line, made by rivers and waterfalls, is what separates the Piedmont region from the Coastal Plains. The Fall Line goes from Columbus, GA to Augusta, GA. Today, most of Georgia’s population lives in cities in the Piedmont region.

Coastal Plain Region Georgia’s largest region is the Coastal Plains. The area is mainly flat and covered with flat, wet, spongy land. The rivers that flow across this region make the land in this region good for farming. Crops such as peanuts, pecans, tobacco, sweet potatoes, and watermelon grow well in this region. The Okefenokee Swamp is in this region. The green portion shows the upper Coastal Plains and the gold region shows the lower Coastal Plains.

Think you learned something? Let’s see if you can answer the following... The capital of Georgia is… A. Atlanta B. Augusta C. Columbus The state tree is the… A. spruce B. pine C. live oak The state flower is the… A. Sunflower B. Cherokee rose C. White Lily Georgia’s state bird is the... A. brown thrasher B. cardinal C. parakeet

Let’s continue. The current governor of Georgia is… A. Sonny Perdue B. Zell Miller C. Jimmy Carter Which region of Georgia is known for its flat, wet lands? Appalachian Mountains B. Piedmont C. Coastal Plains Which region is known for its hills covered in red clay? Appalachian Mountains B. Piedmont C. Coastal Plains Which region is known for its many forest animals and trees? Appalachian Mountain B. Piedmont C. Coastal Plains

pictures courtesy of www.georgia.gov The End pictures courtesy of www.georgia.gov www.corbis.com

Georgia Standards for this topic: Topics: Civics/Geography Standard: Identifies the current governor of Georgia and understanding that the governor is the leader of the state. Standard: Identifies common symbols of Georgia (e.g. the flag, flower, bird, tree) and the U.S. symbols (e.g. flag, Liberty Bell, Statue of Liberty). Standard: Identifies, describes, and locates the five physical regions of Georgia: -Coastal Plain region -Ridge Valley Region -Piedmont region -Appalachian Plateau Region -Blue ridge region